China: Ties with Pak firm as a rock

Beijing, May 21: China said on Thursday that its relationship with Pakistan stood the test of the changing international landscape and remained “firm as a rock” as the all-weather allies celebrated the 69th year of the establishment of their diplomatic relations. Pakistan recognised China in 1951, a year after India established diplomatic ties with Beijing.

India became the first non-Communist country in Asia in 1950 to establish diplomatic relations with China. Though a late entrant, Pakistan, an Islamic republic, has emerged as Communist China’s closest ally and the two countries in recent years firmed up their all-weather alliance with $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, the biggest overseas investment by Beijing.

“Today marks the 69th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between China and Pakistan. I offer congratulations,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told a media briefing here on Thursday. “We are allweather strategic cooperative partners. In the past 69 years, this relationship has stood the test of the changing international landscape, and has remained firm as a rock,” he said.

Zhao, who was earlier China’s Deputy Ambassador to Islamabad, said, “I had the pleasure of working in Pakistan. Before leaving the country, I said that Pakistan stole my heart. I believe it shows the deep-rooted friendship between the two countries,” he said.